Metatarsal support



J. W. ARROWSMITH. METATARSAL'SUPPQRT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10. 19

17. RENEWED SEPT-14,1920- Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

SK X In ventor:

Atty

accompanying drawings,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Janus w. i mwsmm or Monms'rown, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'I'O ABROWSMITHMrs. COMPANY, me, or monms'rown. NEW JERSEY, A oonrona'rron or newJERSEY.

METATAR AL SUPPORT.

1,358,606. Application filed To all whom it may concern Be it known thatLYJAMES \V. Almowsrrrrn, a citizen of the United States, and a residentof the city of Morristown, in the county of Morris, State inventedcertain-new and useful Improvements in Metatarsal Supports, of which thefollowing is ix-specification. 1

The improvements relate to devices for supporting and. strengthening andcorrecting deformities of the bony structure of the luunan'foot, andmore particularly to appliances of this kind intended for the purpose ofremedying and preventing deformities oi'the metatarsal and p'halangealsection as well as the tarsal. L l f I'l eretofore various applianceshave been used for theipurpose of treating abnormalities of themetatarsal structurepincluding ordinary instep arch supportsvwithn1eans--- adjustable or otherwise- -for creating pressure atcertain points in this 'region, flexible insoles with similar provisionand metal supports made capable of adjustment at the forward part.These" appliances, however, have all proved;unsatisfactory in manycases, andit is to overcome the objections to them that thepresentimprovements are designed, as we'll as to provide-a highlyeffident and effective support for-gthe entire 'u'nderarch of "the footboth longitudinal and transverse. r The improvements are illustrated inthe in which Figural is an underside view of a support embodying theimprovements; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line 2--2of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by} the arrows; Figs. 3and 4 are side viewsshowing different positions. The main-plate 1 is ofordinary construction, having an arched bottom portion and an upturnedside portion, and extending from the 'calc'aneum to a point in proximitywith the anterior metatarsal region. r Forward of this plate is anotherplate 3 extending from the front edge thereof to a point-beyond themetatarsophalangeal joint and arched longitudinally and laterally toapproximate the normal arch'of the foot skeleton in this zone.

The two plates are secured to a flexible cover4, extending beyond themon all sides, but are not secured to each other. the cove'r forming aflexible hinge-permitting inde- Specification of Letters Patent.

of New Jersey, have power, =plateuthe weight, and at'each step of the'wearer the metatarsal" plate is slightly raised llatented Nov. 9, 1920.

March 10, 1917, Serial No. 153,844. Renewed September 14, 1920. SerialNo. 410,194.

pendent vertical movement of the two plates but holding them againstlateral or longitudmal displacement.

The forward edge of the main plate 1 extends beyond and underlies therear edge of the metatarsal plate 3, and the overlapping edges of bothplates are formed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the support,to approximate the angle of the metatarsophalangeal joints. They arealso of reduced thickness at their overlapping edges. so that theircombined thickness is but little greater than the normal thickness ofeither plate, and these edges are arched laterally so as to conform tothe shape of the foot and coincide in contour as well as width. Themain-plate is secured by the rivets 5 and 6, and the metatarsal plate bythe rivets it and, Sat its forward part and the rivet 9 at lts rearedge.This last named rivet holds the rear edgeof the plate in close contactwith the cover and prevents it from slipping beneath theedge'of' themain plate when the cover is flexed, sothat the wearer cannot:accidentally change their relative superposed positions and thus changethe character and effect, ashereina'fter explained.

The forward edge of the main-plate 1 extends an appreciable distancebeyond the rear.edgeof themetatarsal plate 3, and the said rear edge ofthemetatarsal plate overlymgtheforward edge'lof the main-plate issupported thereon; so that when the mainplate is tilted vertically onits front edge the metatarsal plateis slightly raised- The resultiofthis construction. is that the mainplate acts asa-leverfof the secondclass, the extreme front edge: being the fulcrum, the portion backof'the-metatarsal plate the and the rearedge of the metatarsal andlowered.

-The construction and action of the plates jabove describedha's animportant effect on the bony structureandthe muscles and ligaments ofthe metatarsophalangeal section of the'foot. With a "arch iislmerelysupported andheld in its fixed plate the metatarsal proper position, andwith this provision the muscles and ligaments in manycasesare notexercised and'become *atrophied, and as weakness "or falling of thevarchis usually due to x-a deterioration ofiithese members the defect :is notremedied butrmerely compensated for in a certain degree. With thearticulated support of the present improvements, however, these membersare flexed and exercised and in many cases restored to their normalcondition by such exercise. In addi tion to this the articulatedmetatarsal support giving flexibility corresponding approximately to thenormal longitudinal flexure greatly increases the comfort and ease ofwalking. and interosseous muscles or lumbricales instead of beingrelieved of their functions are merely relieved of the strain ofsupporting the arch, which has proved too great for them, and areconstantly exercisedand developed in a manner tending to strengthen andtension,

normal condition by the lever actionwhich has its greatest effectposterior to the distal ends of the metatarsal bones and diminishes ineffect toward the digits. In short the articulation of the platescorresponding to the metatarsophalangeal articulation and theconstruction and arrangement of the two plates result in a relativelyperfect fit, a harmonious action and an exercise of the parts tendingtoward their restoration.

Various modifications of the construction herein described and shown maybe made, ,and the improvements varied within certain limits so as tosecure one or all of the beneficial effects herein described, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, and it is not intended tolimit the subjoined claims to the details of construction hereindescribed and shown, except as otherwise in said claims specified.

What I claim is: 1. A support of the character described, comprising aplate extending under the tarsal and metatarsal zones of the foot andarched to approximate the normal arch of the said parts, a second platelocated forward thereof extending to the metatarsophalangeal region, therear edge of the second plate overlapping the forward edge of the firstplate and being arched to approximate the arch of the anteriormetatarsus, a piece of flexible material extending over the overlappingportions of the two plates, and a connection between the second plateand said piece back of the forward edge of the first them and restorethem to plate.

2. An arch support, comprising in its construction two p ates hingedtogether a line positioned over at the metatarsophalangeal articulationand extending forward and rearward thereof, said plates being arched toapproximate the arch of the foot which they underlie.

3. A support of the character described comprising a plate extendingunder the metatarsal zone of the foot, a second plate located forwardthereof, having its rear ortion overlapping the forward portion of theThe digital flexors, extensors as described may be said first namedplate, the said two plates being made of relatively rigid sheet materialand approximating in width the width of a plurality of the metatarsalbones, and their forward edges adapted to rest upon the sole of a shoe,and a flexible hinged connection between the said two plates permittinrelative vertical movement of their a jacent edges.

4. A support of the character described comprising a plate extendingunder the metatarsal zone of the foot, a second plate located forwardthereof, having its rear portion overlapping the forward portion of thesaid first named plate, the said two plates being made of relativelyrigid sheet material and approximating in width the Width of a pluralityof the metatarsal bones, and their forward edges ada ted to rest uponthe sole of a shoe, and a exible hingedconnection between the said twoplates permitt' relative vertical movement of their iiifi'acent edges,said hinged connection comprising a piece of flexible material extendingover the sen: adjacent edges and connected with both p a es.

5. A support of the character described, comprising a plate extendingunder the metatarsal zone of the foot, a second plate located forward ofand having its rear ortion overlapping the forward portion 0 the firstplate, the said two plates being made of relatively rigid material, anda flexible con nection between the said two plates permittingindependent movement of the said plates at their overlapping portions,and the construction being such that the said two plates may have upwardand different angular movements simultaneously.

6. A support of'the, character described, comprising a plate extendingunder the metatarsal zone of the foot, a second plate located forward ofand having its rear portion overlapping the'forward ortion of the firstplate, the said two plates ing made of relatlvely rigid material, and aflexible connection between the said two plates permitting inde ndentmovement of the said plates at t 'eir overlapping portions, and theconstruction being such that the said two plates may have an upward andangular movement simultaneously, the said two plates having a widthgreater than the width of a plurality of the metatarsal bones and thesecond plate having an upwardly arched portion forward of the firstplate.

7. A support of the character described, comprising a plate extendingunder the metatarsal zone of the foot, a second plate located forward ofand having its rear ortion overlapping the forward portion 0 the firstplate, the said two lates being made of relatively rigid materia s, anda flexible connection between the said two' plates permittingindependent movement of the said no plates at their overlappingportions, and the construction being such that the said two plates mayhave an upward and independent angular movement simultaneously.

8. A support of the character described, comprising a plate extendingunder the metatarsal zone of the foot, a second plate located forward ofand having its rear portion overlapping the forward portion of the firstplate, the said two plates being made of 10 relativel rigid materia anda flexible connection etween the said two plates permitting independentmovement of the said plates at their overlapping portions.

Witness my hand this 2nd day of March, 15 1917 at the cit of New York,in the county and State of ew York.

JAMES W. ARROWSMITH.

